Observe - Coach - Improve - Assess
The DERS is a classroom observation and assessment tool, built into an easy-to-use iPad app, that measures child and adult behaviors, and environmental attributes, associated with developmental outcomes such as executive function, linguistic and cultural fluency, and social fluency and emotional flexibility.
Schools and instructional coaches use the DERS to guide observation and support continuous improvement towards outcomes that matter.
DERS is an ideal way to assess, coach, and link learning environments to meaningful outcomes.
Record observations, view trends, and track progress over the course of the school year.
Inspired by child-centered, developmental learning environments, the DERS helps teachers, coaches, and schools support children's natural development.
DERS measures what matters
The DERS measures qualities such as patience and persistence in children, precision and clarity in lessons, and order in the environment, which support the development of executive functions, literacy, and social-emotional learning.
Coaching for continuous improvement
Trained observers use the DERS iPad app to rate 60 research-based behaviors and environment attributes over a one-hour observation. Printed or emailed reports can be used as an assessment of environmental quality and a tool to coach for continuous improvement.
“Incorporating the DERS with coaching is a great way to collaborate with teachers.”
Training and Certification
Learn to use the DERS
The certification process begins with an online or face-to-face training at your school.
“The DERS app is very easy to navigate,
and the reporting tools are easy to read and interpret.”
What people are saying
about the DERS
“It is great to have an instrument that lets you systematically improve the instruction, the prepared environment, and the experience children have in the classroom.
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“The DERS app enables you to give clear feedback during coaching sessions based on facts not opinions. I like how it scores the report and it is able to be presented to a teacher in a clear way.
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“As a whole, the DERS is brilliantly designed. As a board member who also writes grant applications and struggles with providing metrics to Funders, the DERS is a welcome tool to translate qualitative observations into quantitative data.”
“The DERS gives you a common language to use when coaching teachers and their assistants about specific things that are working well and those that can be improved.”
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Using the DERS gives areas of focus and ways to set goals for success.”
